Gay-straight alliance law challenged at Alberta Court of Appeal

WATCH: A court of appeal heard both sides on the impacts of gay straight alliances in school. While one side argues they limit a parent's right to know, the other says it protects children whose parents may not accept their sexual identity. Jill Croteau reports.

A legal challenge being mounted against Alberta’s controversial law around gay-straight alliances went before a three-judge panel in Calgary on Monday.

Two dozen faith-based schools argued that Bill 24, which deals with GSA clubs in schools, restricts the flow of information to parents. The group behind the legal challenge says parents are worried because their children’s participation in GSAs won’t be disclosed to them.

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Bill 24 says that parents cannot be notified about their children’s participation in the clubs unless their child consents.

Jay Cameron is the lawyer for the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. He said the law strips parents of knowledge about their own children.

“There is a flaw in the legislation and my clients are uncomfortable with the imposition of a requirement to comply with it when there’s a problem with it,” Cameron said. “It’s not lawful to require schools to restrict information from parents about small children full stop.

“That’s not the law in this country and the Crown is attempting to make it law in this country.”